Filter.



G. 'J. YOUNG.

FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

Patenteti Apr. 1, 1913.

6 SHEETSSHEET l G. J. YOUNG.

FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

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G J. YOUNG.

FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

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FILTER.

G. J. YOUNG.

"Illll'lllllilllltll ggwlllllllvll APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

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FILTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

. Patented Apr. 1,1913.

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I uuam oz GZOI 'Qe J oung GEORGE J. YOUNG, F RENO, NEVADA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Ti, 1933.

Application filed July 12, 1912. Serial No. 709,078.

To all whom, 2'2? may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE J. YOUNG,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Renofln the county of Washoe and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filters, of which the following is a specification.- I This invention relates to filters, and particularly to filters having continuously moving filtering surfaces arranged to be presented to llquids or semi-liquids, such as slimes and the like, containing finely divided solids in suspension, forthe purpose of removing the liquid component of the mixture in clear condition; and it comprises suitably arranged rotatable disk-like filter.- ing unlts carrying filtering-material, means for subjecting part of the interior of each unit to reduced pressure to draw liquid thereinto and to collect separated solids on the exterior thereof, means for subjecting another interior portion of each unit to excess pressure to dislodge collected solids from the outer surface thereof, annular valved means for each unit controlling the application of. such reduced and excess pressures, and adjustable means for removing solids from the filtering surfaces; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In a number of industrial operations it is necessary to, treat a mixture of a liquid and finely divided solids in such amanner as to' obtain rapid and substantially complete separation of the, liquid and solid constituents. This is notably the case in methods of treating ores by .cyanidation, where the finely pulverized ore is thoroughly mixed with large uantities of rather dilute solutions of. sod um or potassium cyanid to extract the values from the ore. The next step is to separate the liquids from the slimes and pulps resulting from this treatment,

- process is de endent largely upon. the com-.

are, however,

andthen to suitably treat the separated liquids for the precipitation and recovery of the precious metals dissolved therein. In such processes, there is always a very large quantity ofthe finely ground exhausted ore I to be thus separated; and since the ores ordinarily treated by cyanidation run low in metal values,"the connnercial success of. the

pleteness an rapidity of the separation.

.provided and are best various di-ificulties encountered in the filtration of solutions and slimes of the character described, and chief among these is the tendency of the excessively finely divided solid material to form a dense and almost impermeable mass or cake on a filtering surface so rapidly as to check the speed of filtration very quickly and to reduce it in a short time below a speed which is economically practicable. On this account many devices have heretofor'e been proposed in which moving filtering surfaces. are employed, and the cakes of solids formed thereon are continuously removed by scrapers of some kind. In some types of apparatus the slimes are drawn against the filtering surface by suction, the liquid passing through, and the cake remaining on the filter face. The filter surface is then movedout of the mass-of slimes, and at some later period of filter travel the cake is loosened from the filter by applying air or water under pressure to the opposite side of the filter, thus facilitating the subsequent removal of the cake by a scraper. This application of suction and pressure alternately is perhaps the best of the methods proposed for the treating of pulps and slimes of this character, but in practice it has hitherto been found dificult' to construct apparatus to carry out this procedure, one of the most troublesome detalls having been to rovide valve mechanism governing the app ication of suction and pressure. None of the arrangements proposed heretofore has been wholly satisfactory.

It is one of the objects of the present in: vention to provide a simple and efiicient arrangement of valves for this purpose, and

also to provide certain other novel features of construction of great utility and advantage as will appear more fully hereinafter. v Described broadly, the present invention comprises a plurality of disk-like filtering units mounted on a hollow rotatable shaft within which is a second hollow shaft or cylinder which is stationary and which serves as a suction chamber. Suitable bearings for carrying the rotatable shaft are arranged at or near opposite sides of a slime-holding tank withinwhich thefiltering, disks. are arranged to sets of ports so arranged as to provide separate annular or cylindrical valve means for Both shafts are provided with suitable each disk-like unit of the apparatus, wherethe slime to accumulate inthe form of a by the interior of the disks may be subjected to reduced or excess pressure at properperiods in the rotation. The interior-of each disk is suitably divided into independent cells, each cell having an opening registering with one of the before-mentioned openings in the hollow rotatable shaft to which the disks are. attached.

' The arrangement of parts may be such as to providefor suction or pressure on any desired proportion of the cells of a disk at once. Ordinarily it is best to apply suction on a cell throughout the time it is submerged in the liquid mixture and for a certain period after emergence, the length of the'suction period depending on several considerations. At a later stage, while the cell is out of the body of liquid and usually shortly before it again dips therein, connection of the cell to a source of pressure is made, whereby the cake deposited on the outer surfaces of the disk in its prior passage through the liquid mixture is loosened by pressure as by a short puff of air, for example. The cake thus loosened is then easily removed by scraper means which is best of a type to be described later. In practice about ths of the rotating disk surface may be under a partial vacuum, while the remaining eighth may be under moderate plus pressure.

The disks may revolve in a half-cylindrical vat which contains the mixture of slime and solution. The slime inflow into this vat is advantageously controlled by a floating check valve so adjusted as to give a supply of material sufficient to keep the lower half of the disk immersed in the pulp at all times. As the disk revolves and a given portion thereof passes through the pulp in the containing vat, the action of the vacuum causes thin cake on the surface of such portion, the filtered solution draining through the walls of the disk to the hub, whence it flows through the stationary cylinder to an outlet at one end.

During the period that the portion of the disk in question is passing through the air, after leaving the pulp in the vat, the slime cake is best washed by being subjected to the action of sprays of water and under the displacing action of the inwardly drawn air and water the solution contained in the care is removed. Just before the revolution of the disk brings this portion thereof again into the slime the vacuum is cut off auto matically therefrom and compress d air is admitted to that section of the disk, blowing or lifting the slime cake so that an adjustable scraper may remove it and cause it to be discharged into hutes on either side of the disk. Immediately after the latter operation the compressed air is cut off and connection with the vacuum is again made and is maintained up to the time of removing the slime cake as before described.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown more or less diagrammatically certain embodiments of apparatus elements within the present invention. I

In this showing, Figure 1 is a view of an end elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a general View of the same in side elevation; Fig. 3 is a view of one of the filtering disks without the filter-cloths; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a disk hub, showing the method of attaching the disk spokes thereto;

.Fig. 5 is a cross section of the hub of Fig. 4.

on a'diameter; Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig.

4; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary. detail in elevationof a disk periphery; Fig. 8 is a similar the method of attaching filter clothsithereto; Fig. 10 is a cross section of a compound disk spoke showing the method of attaching filter cloths thereto; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view-of one end of the apparatus showing an arrangement of hollow. shafts and the method of lubrication herein preferred; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing in detail the arrangement of eylindrical valves for the filtering disks; Fig. 13 is a cross-section on the line XX of Fig. 12; and Fig. l4c'is an elevational perspective showing a disk with its accompanying scrapers and troughs.

Referring to the drawings, filtering disks 1 are mounted on a rotatable hollow shaft 2. journaled in bearings 3 mounted at the ends of a semi-cylindrical tank 1 containing the liquid or semi-liquid mixture to be filtered. This shaft may be rotated by any suitable means such as worm wheel 5,, meshing with are joined to a rim 12 by means of angles I 13. .Each spoke is made up of a pair of channels or channel-like members 14, the

arms 15 of the channels being bent inwardly toward each other, as indicated, and the channels being arranged with the channeled sides ,adjacent. The disk framework comprising the spokes, rim and hub before described, shouldbe of as light construction as is consistent with the necessary strength 7 and durability of the apparatus. Each cell is provided on its opposite faces with wire netting 16 attached to the cell frame and substantially flush with the sides of I the bridging'or connecting me here are somespokcs. This netting serves to support the what less in width thanthet openings '(33) filtering material employed. Out-lets 17 so that the openings cannot be entirely closed passing through the hub connect each cell thereby. Each of these slots is substantially with the central opening 18 therethrough. in planar alinement with a set of openings 70 The filter covering for each cell comprises 33 and channels 17 affording communication canvas or other suitable filtering material, with the corresponding disk. As here illusor a combination of coarse and fine canvas trated, these slots extend around about itths cloths 19, supported on the wire netting beof the cylinderperiphery, and each cell of fore mentioned. These cloths are'best apthe rotating disks is therefore in commum- 75 plied, one to each face of each filtering cell, cation with the suction chamber during the'pe'ripheral margins of the cloths being about g ths of its rotational travel. Abranch lapped over the outer edge of the cell and passage 36 leads from the central pressure held in place by a ring or circular r0d20 pipe to the periphery of the stationary cyl- -lying in peripheral groove 21 of the disk inder, and each disk cell as the inner end frame and arranged to be' drawn tight by a of its outlet registers with the end of this bolt and nut device 22 connecting the sepbranch passagereceivesapufii of compressed arable ends of the ring. The cloths may be air. The arrangement just described is, as secured to the spokes in the manner clearly before mentioned, provided for each rotat- 20 shown 'in Fig. 10. The edges of the cloths ing disk. As the shaft revolves,.the segbeing lapped over the sloping channel arms ments of a .diskare under vacuum until of the spokes are held in place by means of they Passover the branch passage leading beveled strips 23, which are drawn together to the pressure pi es, and at this point air by means of belts or screws 24. The cloths under pressure is blown in and the cake on 25 may beheld to the hubs by suitable collars the filtering surface of the cells is dislodged.

25. The disks are arranged, as before stated, Suitable means for washing the cake well on the hollow shaft and are spaced apart'by after such cell emerges from the semi-cylin-' means of distance pieces 26, suitable gasket drical tank may be provided. For example means 27 being provided to' secure tight water may be supplied througli a'main 37 joints. Collars 2 8 screw onto opposite ends having a pair of branches extending between 5 of the shaft and secure disks, distance memeach pair of filtering disks. Both of these bers, and gaskets firmly together. The arbranches are provided with suitable perforangement is such that the central shaft can rations, one branch, 38, being curved to folbe readily stripped of the disks and the low substantially the periphery of the disk 5 disks may be replaced thereon with little while. the other branch 39 may extend di- 10a trouble. I -rectly inwardly. The washing means may Snugly fitting within the hollow shaft (2) be variously modified or, in'some cases, may

is arranged a stationary hollow shaft or be dispensed with. I v I cylinder 29. The entire weight of the mov- A very advantageous feature of the presp ing cylinder is best borne by the bearings 'ent invention is the provision ofsuitable (3)., Passage 30 leading from this hollow lubricating means between the rotating holcylinder connectswith an air pump or inlow shaft and the stationary cylinder with jector whereby suction may .be applied to whichit'cont'acts. From sight feed lubrithe interior of the cylinder. Pipe 31 ar -cator 40, mounted on the stationary cylinder 5 ranged centrally of the stationary cylinderleads tube 41 which extends longitudinally takes air under pressure through inlet paswithin the cylinder and which has, at suitsage 32. The application of reduced presable points, branches 42 leading to bores sure, or vacuum andexcess pressure to dethrough the cylinder wall. Oil may be thus sired portions of the filtering units or disks supplied to the contacting surfaces of the 0 is controlled byan arrangement of parts. localities between the disks as may be-dewhich constitutes a series of what may-be sired. 1

termed cylindrical or annular valves, there Scrapers 43 are arranged in pairs, one on being one such annular valve for each disk. each side of each disk, said scrapers being Registering'with eachof the outlet bores oradjustably supported by rods 44 and 45 ex- 55 channels (17) in they disk hubs, there is protending therefrom and bearing on portions vided an opening 33 in the rotatable shaft of the tank frame. Rod 45 carries rigldl upon which the disks are rigidly mounted. connected thereto a slotted sector 46 throu h At suitable intervals, corresponding to the which passes set screw or clamp 47. y distance between the disks, the stationary loosening this clamp the scraper may be co cylinder (29) is provided with slots 34 adjusted relative tothe disk and held in which may by suitable accessory arrangeposition by tightening the. clamp. Immements be continuous over a certain ropordiately below each scraperis an inclined tion of the cylinder periphery, or w ich, as chute 48 which extends downwardlyand shown here, may be interrupted-by bridging passes through the side of the tank, and

5 or connecting members or 'webs 35. These which is provided at its lower end with a rotary shaft bearing the filtering disks is caused to rotate at-the proper speed. Each cell of .a disk enters the solution to be-filtered and passes therethrough under a partial vacuum, 7 the' solution being drawn through the cloths into the cells and thence through the outlets in the hub and rotating cylinder through the suction slot of the stationary cylinder and into the suction chamber within said cylinder. The solution then passes out through the suction passage at the end of the stationary cylinder. The solid material contained in the liquid to be filtered is caught'by the filter cloths covering the disk cells and forms a cake thereon, being firmly held on the disk by reason of the suction applied to the cells. Upon emerging from the tank, each cell bearing its cake of separated solids is sprayed by the wash pipes and finally reaches the point in the circuit where the pressure port forming a part of the cylinder valve arrangement registers with the outlet from the cell. At

this point air under moderate pressure enters the cell with a sudden pufi' which dislodges the cake to a greater or less extent from the outer surfaces of. the cell. The parts are so arranged that this dislodging action occurs just before the cell reaches the adjustable scrapers, and the partially dislodged cake is thus easily scraped ofl by thescrapers and falls into the inclined chutes and is discharged therefrom outside the tank What I claim is 1. Apparatus for filtering-slimes and the like comprising a hollow rotatable shaft supported on suitable bearings, a plurality of disk-like filtering units mounted thereon, each of said units being suitably divided into a number of independent cells connected with the interiorof said hollow shaft by passages opening into said shaft in annular arrangement, 'a hollow stationary shaft or cylinder fitting snugly within said rotatable shaft and provided with suction ap ert-ures or slots extending arounda portion of its periphery and arranged to register with the inner ends of the passages in said filtering units, suction or pressure-reducing means communicating with the interior of said stationary cylinder, a compressed air conduit extending longitudinally within said cylinder, and branches leading from the conduit to the outer surface of the said cylinder and terminating in pressure apertures ranged apertures or ports for each said disk,

and said-ports being arranged to register with the inner ends of said passages through the respective hubs, suction means communicating with, some of said ports in each set, pressure means communicating with another port or ports in each set, and means for rotating said filtering units.

3. Apparatus for filterin slimes and the like comprising a plurality of disk-like units mounted to rotate in close engagement with a stationary hollow cylinder extending therethrough, each said filtering unit comprising independent cells provided with outlet passages terminating in annularly arranged ports or apertures substantially in planar alinement with a set of peripheral ports in said stationary cylinder and arranged to register therewith during rotation, pressure means communicatin with at leastone of said peripheral ports in each set, and suction means communicating with said hollow cylinder.

4. In a rotary filter, a rotatably mounted filtering unit, an adjustable scraper adjacent the filtering surface thereof, said scraper being pivotally mounted on suitable supportlng means and carrying a slotted sector, and means mounted on said supporting means and engaging the slot in said sector for adjusting the position of. said scraper relative to said filtering surface.

4 5. In a rotary disk filter, a disk-like filtering unit comprising a central hub, arms or spokes supported thereby and extending radially therefrom, each such spoke comrising a pair of substantially parallel memers spaced apart, strips arranged'to bridge the space bet-ween the members of each such pair and to clamp filtering material thereagainst, and means for holding said strips tightly against said members.

6. In a rotary disk filter, a disk-like filtering unit comprising a central hub, arms or spokes supported thereby'and extending radially therefrom, each such'spoke comprising a (pair of substantially parallel members space apart, strips arranged to bridge the space between the members of each such pair,

" a disk-like filtering shallow cells, a' pair of ing means for holding said strips against said members, a rim connecting the outer ends of said spokes and provided with a peripheral groove, and an adjustable member, arranged to secure the edges of filtering material in I said groove.

ing a central hub, a rim,

7. In a rotary disk filter, in combination unit having a framework comprising a central hub, a rim, spokes extending between said hub and said rim and dividing the filtering unit into a plurality of clamping. strips engaging oppositely disposed lateral slots in each of said spokes to secure filtering material in place, and adjustable means for holdsaid strips in position.

In a rotary disk filter, a disk-like filterframework comprisspokes extending rim and dividing 8. ing unit comprising a between said hub and said the filtering unit into a plurality of shallow cells, a pairof clamping strips engaging oppositely disposed lateral slots 1n each of said spokes and provided with adjustable securt-liereagainst by ing means, a pair of oppositely disposed clamping annuli or collars adjacent the inner each such cell, a pair of .a stationary hollow cylinder ends of said spokes, a clamping ring arranged to engage aperipheral groove in said rim, and filtering material covering the opposite' faces of said filtering unit and held said strips, collars and ring. 9.'In a rotary disk filter, a disk-like filtering unit comprising a framework comprising a central hub, a rim, spokes extending between said hub and said rim and d1- viding the filtering unit into a plurality of shallow cells, filter-supporting walls of metal netting or the like laterally inclosing clamping members disposed lateral openings in said spokes and provided with adjustable securing means, a clamping member arranged on each face of said filtering unit near the hub, a clamping ring engaging the outer periphery of said rim, means for adjusting the tension of said ring, tering materialcovering the opposite faces of said. filtering unit and held thereagainst by said strips, collars and ring.

10. In a-rotary disk filter, in combination, provided with a set of peripheral suction and pressure ports,- and a filtering disk revolubly mount-- ed thereon and comprising independent filtering cells, each cell being provided with a passage extending radially inward to said cylinder in alinement with said set of ports and arranged to'register with said ports successively as the disk revolves.

' In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature inzthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO J. YOUNG.

engaging oppositely 'Witnesses:

H. O. WICKS, Lil-ll. POSTLEWAITE.

a plurality of 

